Corrupted Restoration
by Psycho Yuffie
Summary: It should have been a happy ending. It should have been the perfect ending to their story, but it wasn't. Tidus returns with an altered form. Yuna is crushed and the new Tidus finds comfort from an unlikely source. Together with Rikku and Paine, Tidus sets off on an adventure to discover what went wrong. Femslash warning!
1. Chapter I: Bad End

**Chapter I: Bad End**

I stood there on the reef, hearing the rush of the surf. The comforting sounds of the ocean, which had been my only friend growing up in Zanarkand. Closing my eyes, I let the salty air into my lungs and basked in the tropical sunlight. That cool, ocean wind battled with the heat of the light against my skin. I felt my blonde hair brushing against my cheek as a gust of wind blew. The warm water, which was up to my hips, moved in and out in calm, constant shifting. It made my legs feel weightless and filled me with an urge to just let go and let the surf carry me away. My eyes open. Something is different, though. Something is off. Not wrong, just off.

The scream of an engine came from overhead. I knew it was there, but I was caught in introspection. What was different? All of the memories were there. All of the emotions. I felt the familiar pressure inside my chest when I thought of Yuna. It was warm, but it hurt. It ached in a way that tolled the bell of our future. The engines steadied themselves above the surf, I could hear it from behind me. I looked down at my hands. They seemed smaller. Was it my imagination? Was the process of coming back traumatic? Then I saw them: on my chest, round objects. I had thought my chest felt heavier, but this couldn't be happening.

"It couldn't be," my thought reached my lips.

I heard a splash from behind me and a lyrical giggle. Yuna. She was here. Finally, after all this time, we should be together. Haven't we earned it? The giggling stopped and the splashing of Yuna moving closer also ceased. She felt it now too, that something had gone wrong. For her, on the outside, it would be a lot easier to notice than it was for me. Maybe it was my slight frame or how short I was now, or maybe it was just a feeling she had that tipped her off. Letting out a sigh, I knew I had to face her eventually.

Yuna took a step back, her brows moving upward in shock as I turned to look at her. A black, low-cut tank top now covered most of my chest, but it also kept my midriff exposed underneath my black overalls. Other than that, the outfit was identical to the one I had always worn.

"Who are you?" Yuna asked, the shock in her face fading into suspicion, presenting as a grimace across her lips.

Unsure of what else to say, I rubbed the back of my head and said, "Tidus."

She didn't look amused. "Don't joke around with me."

I dropped my hand back into the water and studied my reflection for a moment. "That's who I remember being, but I didn't used to look like this."

Two other splashes came from behind Yuna. The ship's engines kicked in again as it flew away. A blonde girl emerged from the water. It took a second, but then I realized that Rikku was pretty hard to forget. A silver-haired girl appeared coolly from underneath the water. Her red eyes glared at me and her lips were decidedly put into a frown. It was as if the water had barely fazed her.

The gray-haired fox stood in front of Yuna and said, "Just tell us where he is."

"I don't know," I said, even I was beginning to question my memory.

Rikku looked back and forth between us and then said, "Mind if we take this somewhere less wet?"

Yuna regarded Rikku for a moment, as if she had forgotten where she was for a moment and then nodded at her. "Let's go to the beach to talk about this."

"Talking is good," I said, nodding as I carefully turned around to walk with the surf to the beach. I tried my best to calm down, but I could feel those red eyes against the back of my skull.

While I passed through the surf without much issues, Rikku was having difficulties. The foamy waves kept getting underneath her legs and tripping her. She got pushed onto the beach by a rather large wave, instead of walking. She shook the water out of her hair and spit up the water in her mouth. I extended my hand to help her up. She hesitated, but took it and I pulled her scrawny body up with little problem. Yuna and the other woman got to the beach far more gracefully.

Without missing a beat, Yuna asked again, "Now, who are you?"

"I already told you," I said.

Rikku bounced in place and said, "I believe her."

The girl with the gray hair rolled her eyes. "This isn't the time for your games, Rikku. This is serious."

Yuna also looked hardly convinced.

The blonde just shook her head and said, "Well, I believe that she believes. I'm not saying she's Tidus, but she thinks she is."

"Who else could I be?" I asked. I once again regarded my body and said, "Look, I don't know what happened, but I have all of his memories." Walking forward suddenly, I touched Yuna's cheek. "His emotions." When I touched her, it was like being shocked with electricity. The desire that ran through my body radiated from my hand. My heart began to beat and my blood rushed through my veins.

Yuna looked at me. She no longer looked up at me, since we were almost the same height now, but her eyes were the same as they were back then: wide, a little scared, but also warm with promise and affection. I could tell she had felt it too. Still, she knocked my hand away and tore her eyes from mine. "Maybe… Maybe I believe you." She crossed her arms, still looking away. "But that doesn't mean I think you're him."

The fierce girl seemed to loosen her guard. She seemed to have concluded that I wasn't a fiend. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know what _we're_ going to do, but I'm going home," Yuna said and started to march across the beach.

Rikku reached out to her cousin. "Yunie!" She looked at the back of Yuna and then to me before she ran off after her. "Hey! What did you mean by that?"

I wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to go after Yuna, but I was the last person she wanted to see right now. The gray-haired girl put her hand on my shoulder and I looked up at her. She gave me a pitiful smile. Well, smile was stretching it a bit, but her mouth corners turned up sympathetically and I understood she was trying.

"The name's Paine," she said, finally understanding my confusion.

"Tid—actually, I don't know what my name is," I said. It was like when I was pretending to be infected by Sin's toxin all over again.

She gave my shoulder another pat and remained at my side as we made the walk to Besaid Village together. Paine didn't say a word on that trip, but she never needed to. We walked together in silence, her air was comforting. I tried not to cry. I really did, but I blame this body. It was this body's fault. With its female hormones. That had to be it. When we reached the prayer spot, overlooking Besaid Village, tears stung my eyes. Finally, I started to sob. Paine unexpectedly drew me close against her. Her arms were strong, but comforting. Her hand rubbed the back of my head as hot, bitter tears streamed down my cheeks. Honestly, I'm not sure how long I stood there with Paine, just crying and hearing the thump of her heart against my ear.

* * *

When we finally made it to the village, my legs were killing me, my eyes still stung from crying, and I just wanted to make sure that Yuna was okay. Logically, Paine and I walked over to Wakka's tent. We found Wakka himself and Rikku standing outside of it, talking in hushed voices. When Rikku saw us coming, she hopped up and gave a huge wave and ran over. Wakka just took his time and walked.

"How is she?" I asked.

Rikku shook her head. "About the same shape as you, judging from your eyes."

I rubbed my eyes, hoping the pink from my tears could be wiped away.

Paine crossed her arms and said, "She'll be fine now."

"Wow, this really is crazy, ya?" Wakka said as he finally joined the conversation. He looked down on me and slammed his hand down on my shoulder. "You really do look like him—déjà vu, ya?" He just threw back a laugh. Pointing at his tent with his thumb, he said, "She's in there with Lu, but… Sorry, kid, but she doesn't want to see you right now."

I turned to walk away, but then I suddenly stormed toward the tent, but stopped moving forward. Confusion raced through my mind, but I noticed a pressure against my stomach. Looking down, I noticed a tan and powerful arm against my abdomen. Suddenly, I was weightless as the arm picked me up and suddenly was over Wakka's shoulder.

"None of that, ya. She needs time and I arranged for somewhere for you to stay," Wakka said as he walked down the street toward what used to be the Crusader's headquarters in the village. Paine and Rikku followed along. Inside, I discovered that the former headquarters had been turned into an inn. Wakka gingerly put me down on one of the beds and pointed a finger at me. "Just stay here. None of this poking your nose where it don't belong, ya? I understand you have his personality, so I know what you're like."

I frowned, but I may have pouted. I say I frowned in response. I didn't know what to say, but Wakka knew he got his message across and left.

Rikku walked over and gave me a hug. "We'll figure this out," she said. She stood back up. "Yunie needs me right now, so I'm going to go check on her." With that, she awkwardly turned on her heel and began to leave. She stopped short, though, and looked at Paine, who had seated herself beside me. "Coming?"

Looking at her, Paine nodded. Rikku looked satisfied and left. Paine put her arm around me and said, "I need to check on Yuna too, will you be okay by yourself for a while?"

I gave a nod, even though I wasn't sure I would be. Paine gave me one of her sobered smiles before she stood up and left after Rikku.

Left alone in the community room of the inn, I kicked off my sneakers and pulled my legs up onto the bed. I hugged my legs close as I stared out in front of me. This was supposed to be my happy ending. The happy ending to my story, but it turned out that fate—or maybe the Fayth—had other plans for me.


	2. Chapter II: Aoife

**Chapter II: Aoife**

It was a lot like déjà vu, just as Wakka had said. Sitting in that inn. The same tent that I had stayed in all those years ago. Just like that time, I fell asleep unexpectedly and woke up in the middle of the night to hear voices outside. I hesitated, unsure if I should tempt fate again, but curiosity pulled my feet to the ground and gave me the strength to stand up. Pricks and tingles filled the arches of my feet as I tiptoed over to the flap of the tent. I peeked outside through the crack without disturbing the flaps. Paine was outside with Yuna, standing in front of Wakka's tent.

"You just don't understand," Yuna said, sitting down suddenly on a crate and buried her face in her hands.

Paine crossed her arms and looked off at the temple. She remained quiet for a moment before saying, "I wish I did. I just don't see the problem."

Looking up at Paine, Yuna's brows twitched between expresses before she said, "Wait… What?"

Paine looked back at Yuna. "Your wish came true. Your journey was about finding him and you did. He's different than before, but so are you. It's the same."

Returning to her feet, Yuna asked, "How is it the same?"

"You became more independent. You started looking inside yourself to find strength instead of your faith in something else." Paine said this, taking a few steps closer to the ex-summoner. "She just isn't male anymore. If anyone is drastically different from before, it's you not her."

Yuna mouth gaped at the gray-haired woman and she shook her head. "I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"What?" Paine shifted her weight onto her right leg.

"You. This. This whole conversation!" Yuna paced a bit. "It's crazy! We're both women now." She stopped and jabbed her finger at Paine. "I think that puts a stopper on our relationship pretty quick."

Silence. Then Paine burst into laughter. I jumped because I wasn't expecting anyone to laugh from this conversation—least of all Paine.

Apparently, Yuna was just as confused because she asked, "Did I say something funny?"

Regaining her composure—and breath—Paine shook her head and said, "No, no. It wasn't funny so much as naïve."

"Who are you calling naïve?" Yuna said in a huff, her eyes narrowing.

The leather-clad woman giggled so more. "Yuna… Are you being serious right now?"

The gunslinger tried to stomp the ground angrily, but wasn't that intimidating. "I am being gravely serious right now."

Putting her hands up, she gestured for Yuna to calm down. "Alright, alright… I'll explain." She cleared her throat. "You see, Yuna, sometimes women can fall in love with other women. It just happens. Just like the love between a man and a woman. It's nothing shocking or anything to be ashamed of."

Yuna's eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. "That can happen?"

"Of course," Paine said, trying her bet not to laugh again. She succeeded and then pointed limply at Yuna. "That's why it's possible for her to still be in love with you, even though she's a woman and why you're obviously still in love with her."

"But I can't be," the other woman said, once again sitting down on the crate, grasping her head. "It can't be. She's a woman. I didn't feel anything… Nothing. Until she touched me. It was just like how he used to, but she's not him."

Paine looked off at the temple again and remained quiet for a while before she said, "I can't say who she may or may not be, honestly. I didn't know her when she was Tidus—unlike Rikku and you. Rikku seems pretty convinced, though."

Helplessly, I stood there watching this scene unfold. I gripped the legs of my overalls tightly. Once again, I felt that hot pressure inside of my chest. That pressure that aches and now feels like a rot within me. The prospect of two women together was not foreign to me. There were plenty of same-sex couples in Zanarkand. Yuna was a country girl. She was sheltered all her life and even now she was still learning. This was an obstacle. A huge obstacle. Just because it isn't impossible for two women to be together doesn't mean that Yuna would be interested in such a relationship.

As if she could hear my thoughts, Yuna stood up again and said, "I wouldn't be interested in pursuing such a thing. I have never been interested in women. Not in that way. Just…no." With that, she escaped back inside of Wakka's tent.

Paine watched Yuna as she slipped back inside the tent and then looked in my direction. Her expression was nearly as plain and emotionless as it always was, but her eyebrows were pulled up a bit on the inside with concern and empathy. It was slight, but I could see it. No longer concerned with whether or not I would be seen, I just turned and walked back to my bed.

* * *

"You need a name," Rikku said. She was sitting beside me.

We were all sitting inside of Wakka's tent. He had cooked us all breakfast. It was different from the last time I had saw it. Wakka's exercise area was now a nursery. There was a brightly-colored wooden crib and a few plush toys scattered around. The toys were similar to the dolls that Lulu used to use in combat. Lulu herself was holding Vidina, Wakka's new baby boy, which everyone had neglected to mention before I entered the tent—granted, they all had a lot on their minds. She was seated in the corner, so she could show off her bundle. A cheerful glee built inside of my stomach every time I looked at Vidina's tiny face. We were all seated around Wakka's large circular table, which was surrounded with mats.

"I agree," Yuna said flatly, not looking up front her breakfast.

Silence followed that deafened conversation for a few moments until Wakka on the other side of me said, "I'm great with names!"

Rikku giggled nervously and asked, "What about you, Paine? You've spent the most time with her."

The gray-haired girl looked up, either surprised or annoyed from being distracted from her meal. I couldn't tell. "Well, I think there may be a name that suites her. Aoife."

"Eefya?" I tried my best to mimic the sound.

"Aoife," she said again. "It's a strong, warrior name for females."

Rikku wrinkled her nose a bit. "Tidus was never that strong. He cried a lot."

"Hey!" I said.

Paine shrugged and said, "Doesn't matter. Warriors are allowed to have emotions. All that matters is the battlefield. She has a warrior's spirit, so she deserves a warrior's name. Besides, Tidus means defender."

"It does?" Rikku said with a gasp.

Paine didn't even respond, she just went back to eating.

"Aoife?" I said one more time. It certainly had an odd ring to it. Something unique. Something powerful. I wasn't sure why, but I felt connected to the name right away.

"Aoife," Paine said.

"Aoife!" Rikku said excitedly, flailing her arms a bit.

"Aoife," Yuna said, which caused everyone in the room to pay attention. "Come with me for a bit." She stood up and walked out of the tent.

I took a moment to look around at the others, but they looked just as surprised as I felt. I stood up and followed after her. What was this about? Outside, the village was going about its business. It wasn't a busy day, but there were a few people out. Yuna was standing by the crate. She looked different. Somehow, she had changed out of her skimpy gunslinger outfit into her traditional kimono in the few seconds she was out of view.

"How did you change so fast?" I asked.

"It's called a dressphere," Yuna said, holding an object at me. "This is a garment grid. My garment grid. They're used by sphere hunters to gain special abilities you ordinarily don't have—with the help of spheres. I'm giving this to you."

Taking the garment grid, I just looked at it with confusion flooding into my mind. "But why?"

Yuna took in a breath and let it out slowly. "Because Paine is right. My journey is over. I found what I was looking for: you. But I know you. You're still going to want to go explore the world. My garment grid will keep you safe until you get back."

"And," I began to say, but I stopped.

"About us?" Yuna said and looked away. "I don't know… Aoife. I just don't know. I need time to think about this." I took a step forward, but she immediately retreated. "Please stop," she said, looking at me desperately. "I'm just not ready." She walked around me to go back inside of the tent. "Honestly, I'm not sure when I will be—or if I ever will be." Then she walked back inside.

I gripped the garment grid in my hands and felt Yuna's support flowing out from it. Despite our situation, she still cared. That's all that matters. Activating the strange device, a light radiates from it and bursts out, covering my entire body. I just barely manage to close my eyes before the flash. After a moment, I open my eyes and find that my old outfit has gone. In its place, I am now wearing shorter black shorts, no more overalls. Over the shorts on the left side is a yellow half skirt, fading between yellow and orange. It ends with white fringe. There's a red bracer on my right wrist. My chest is still covered by a short tank top. My neck and nearly my chin are covered with a long yellow scarf that is thrown over my right shoulder. Two crisscrossing black belts carry a gun holster on each of my hips. Black knee-high boots with light yellow lining and white laces cover my shins. My thighs are bare, though, as are my arms for the most part.

Just as Yuna had said, the Gunslinger dressphere had instilled gunplay knowledge into me. I had never actually fired a gun before, but I knew that I was awesome. I took a gun out with my right hand and spun it on my fingers before holstering it again. I finally followed Yuna back inside the tent. She had already found her seat again and began to eat quietly. It looked as if people were trying to inquire about her old look. Once I stepped inside, though, the mystery was over. Paine looked at me and stopped mid-bite, some egg falling off her fork.

"Lookin' good, Aoife!" Rikku said, waving at me.

Wakka blinked and said, "I didn't know you were so…round and curvy."

"Rikku," Lulu said from across the table. Giving a nod with a thumbs up, Rikku punched Wakka in the gut. "Thank you, sweetie."

Wakka face collapsed into his food as he grabbed his jiggly stomach in recoil.

"Now," Lulu said softly, "what is the meaning of this, Yuna?"

Gently setting down her fork, Yuna said, "Aoife will be taking my place on the Gullwings. I'm retiring from spherehunting."

Rikku shot to her feet and waved her arms at Yuna. "What?! You can't do that, Yunie! You're the reason why everyone joined the Gullwings."

"Maybe," Yuna said, "but that doesn't mean they'll leave the group now that it's established." She turned back to her food. "Besides, I think Spira needs my help. While I was busy running around the world for clues about Tidus, a civil war almost destroyed it. I think I need to re-evaluate my priorities."

Dropping her arms back to her side, Rikku said, "I… I guess if that's really what you want to do… It does sound pretty important. Brother is going to throw a fit, though."

Paine shook her head at that.

I pointed at Paine and Rikku. "In the meantime, I have my own mission!"

Rikku looked at me, surprise ringing in her eyes. "Ooo! What is it?"

I flashed a smile and said, "We're going to track down what little may remain of the Fayth and beat some answers out of them!"

Paine sighed. "Yet another hopeless goose chase begins…"

Rikku bounced and danced a bit in place. "Sounds like a job for the Gullwings, alright!"

"Yes, another job that doesn't end with any money in our pockets, but will most definitely end with us in mortal danger. Definitely sounds like a job for us." Paine said bitterly.


End file.
